State Minister for Commerce, Ahsanul Islam Titu, inaugurated the sale operations of onions imported from India at a ceremony held in front of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) Bhaban in the capital.

Addressing the gathering as the chief guest, Ahsanul expressed gratitude for India's cooperation in providing onions to Bangladesh, highlighting the importance of the friendly relations between the two countries. He acknowledged the efforts made to lower the price of onions, despite facing internal challenges in India.

Ahsanul emphasized his ministry's commitment to increasing the supply of essential commodities and assured that efforts would continue to bring in additional consignments of onions from India gradually. He believed that the sale operations in Dhaka and Chittagong would contribute to reducing the price of onions across the country.

In response to a query, Ahsanul revealed that the Ministry of Commerce is actively working to establish agreements with countries like Myanmar, Russia, and Brazil for the importation of essential items.

Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Tapan Kanti Ghosh, spoke as a special guest, attributing the import of onions to the government's effective trade diplomacy. He expressed optimism that Bangladesh would secure a special quota for onion imports from India, even if India imposed export bans.

The event also featured speeches by AHM Shafiquzzaman, Director General of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP), and other dignitaries.

Out of the total 50,000 metric tons of onions, 1,650 metric tons have already arrived in the country from India. These onions will be sold at Tk40 per kg in Dhaka, Chittagong, and Gazipur cities.

Various officials including TCB chairman Brigadier General M Ariful Hasan and TCB additional director Khandaker Nurul Haque were present at the ceremony.